A trocar assembly typically includes an obturator extending through the elongated working channel of a sleeve such that the penetrating tip of the obturator extends beyond the distal end of the sleeve. During surgery (e.g., laparoscopic surgery), the penetrating tip of the obturator is advanced through the abdominal wall of the patient until the trocar assembly extends into the abdominal cavity. A scoping device may be used to provide visual feedback during the insertion step. Once the trocar has been positioned as desired, the obturator is removed from the sleeve, thereby providing the practitioner with a small channel into the patient's abdominal cavity.
Typically, an insufflation fluid, such as carbon dioxide gas, is fed through the sleeve of the trocar assembly and into the abdominal cavity to elevate the abdominal wall and expose the underlying organs. Then, with the abdomen insufflated, the practitioner may introduce various medical instruments, such as scoping devices, graspers, scissors and the like, into the abdominal cavity via the working channel of the sleeve to view and manipulate tissue.
During laparoscopic surgery, more than one trocar assembly may be used such that multiple instruments can be inserted into the abdominal cavity at the same time. However, the more trocar assemblies used during a procedure, the more likely it becomes that the crowded surgical space will interfere with the practitioner's techniques. For example, in single site laparoscopy, a single incision is made through the skin, such as around the umbilicus, and then multiple trocar assemblies are inserted through the abdominal wall at the single skin incision, thereby minimizing patient trauma, but also crowding multiple trocar assemblies in close proximity.